XMen Evolution: God Works in Mysterious Ways 1
by TicTactful
Summary: Part 1 of 2 It's Homecoming season in Westchester ... what's a poor mutant to do?
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I don't any of this. No one even gave me Kurt for my birthday yesterday. *sniffle* Oh well. I'll get over it; so I hope Marvel will too. 

Author's notes: The title doesn't really come into play until the last chapter of Part 1, but it seemed appropriate for this piece. I don't know, whatever. 

Thanks to everyone for all the reviews! I'm just really glad you all are enjoying the series so far. 

As I was writing, I decided to split this into two parts, because it was getting reeaalllyyyy looooonnnng. I'll post them separately, a few days apart. There's another Author's Note for you to read at the end of the last chapter of Part 1; make sure you don't miss it. Hope you enjoy! 

  


Chapter 1 

  


_Dear Rahne, _

I just received your last letter. I hope your French test went well. I loved the sketch you made of Muir Island - please send me more of your work! 

I think I've almost got this thing finalized. They finally had the Reverend come in to sign all the proper papers. (He was supposed to send your things and Kurt's over last week - have you gotten them yet?) 

Oh - as for the money I enclosed - I know it must be getting close to Homecoming season over in the States. I want you to buy yourself a pretty dress and things and go have fun with your friends. I want you to enjoy your time in America! Just be sure to take lots of pictures to send me! Tell Kurt I said hello. Love always, 

Moira 

  


Rahne continued to stare at the letter for several moments after she'd finished reading. She had never seen so much money in her life - and here she was, holding it all in her hand! The Reverend had hardly been a generous father … 

_An' he did nae hold with dancin' either_, Rahne thought. _Nor pretty dresses nor fancy things. But it must be nice tae look pretty, jus' once, jus' like the ladies in the fairy-stories. Yes, A'll gae, an' God bless ye, Lady Kinross - my mum!_

She was just putting the envelope back in her drawer when a knock sounded at the door. "Come in!" 

Kurt peeked around the door, then came all the way into the room. He'd been looking much stronger the last few days, and his injury hardly seemed to bother him at all; Rahne thanked the Lord for that. Yet there had been an air of reserve about him; Rahne could guess he was still remembering the 'God-fearing' mob that had tried to murder him. _An' him a good Christian soul, tae._ "Good morning, Rahne; how are you this fine Saturday?" 

Rahne laughed as she picked up the tartan coverlet that lay on her floor. "What dae ye want, Kurt? A know ye've finished yer French homework, an' A've got a letter tae write, sae A dinnae have time tae make pasties f'r dinner taenight - sae wha' is it?" 

He had the good grace to look embarrassed, at least. He crossed to her writing desk and began fiddling with one of her pens. "Vell … I vas just thinking … You know the Homecoming dance is coming up soon?" 

"Yes …" _Lord, why is me heart goin' sae fast?_ "A know." _A must be havin' an allergic reaction tae somethin' A ate at lunch._

"Vell, it's like this … I vas vondering … since you are a girl and all … vell … I really like Kitty, and I vas vondering if you know how to go about - ah - vinning the fair lady's affections?" 

"Oh … oh, A see." Suddenly her pounding heart had dropped into her shoes. "A … well …" 

"Please?" Kurt fumbled for the first thing he could find on the writing desk and held it to his throat. "I shall do myself an injury if you refuse!" 

"Och … all right." She put the tartan aside and pried the object out of his hand. "Though A must say A'm wonderin' how ye intend tae hurt yerself with my gum eraser." 

"Thank you, Rahne!" He beamed boyishly at her, fangs gleaming. 

"All right, all right. A said A'd help ye, an' A will. But first let me start this letter. A'll meet ye downstairs in twenty minutes. Deal?" 

"Deal." He grinned at her and scuttled out of the room. 

She shut the door behind him and then huddled down in her tartan, feeling very sorry for herself but unable to figure out the reason.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 

  


Rahne dragged herself down the staircase several minutes later, carrying the feather duster from the hall closet and one of Jean's hair scrunchies. She found Kurt moping around the library and hustled him out to the gardens, where it would be quiet and they could plot in secret. 

"Rahne, I am afraid it is rather pointless to dust the outdoors, since the dirt only covers more dirt," Kurt pointed out, frowning at the feather duster. 

"Oh, ye muckle dummy. That is a bouquet, can ye nae see, and this-" She indicated the feather duster. "-is a corsage." 

"A vhat?" 

"A corsage - flowers for her wrist. A shall endeavor tae find out wha' color the lady's dress is, sae ye can make sure tae get the same color flowers. Now, where tae start … Ye must be sure tae start holdin' doors f'r her, an' pullin' out her chair at dinner as well. An' ye could stand tae comb yer hair once in a while. Um … offer her yer jacket if she says she's cold … Let's see … When ye ask her tae gae with ye, ye could bow an' give her a nice little bouquet like this one. Tha' should catch her eye. Here, like this." She made a little flourish and presented Kurt with the duster. "Are ye listenin'?" 

He was staring at her, mouth, agape. "Offer her my coat?! But vhat if I am cold too?" 

"Och," sighed Rahne in exasperation, "ye'll have tae deal with it is all, if ye want tae get the girl." 

"Okay, okay." He squinted at the feather duster. "And you really vant me to bow?" 

"Yes!" shouted Rahne. "It's rutting cute! She'll ruddy well swoon f'r ye!" 

Kurt was looking at her strangely again. "Rahne? Are you feeling okay?" 

"Fine - A'm fine." She scrubbed a hand over her face. Wha' is wrong with me today? "Where - where was A--?" 

"I am _never_ playing baseball with you again, man!" groaned Evan loudly. Out of nowhere, he, Scott, Kitty, and Rogue tramped back into Kurt and Rahne's clearing. 

"Wimp," snorted Rogue. 

"Hi, guys," said Scott, noticing Kurt and Rahne. "What are you doing out here?" 

"Ah … ah … ah …" Kurt stammered. 

"Shakespeare in the Park!" Rahne interrupted. 

"What?" Scott asked bemusedly. 

"F'r drama club, ye see. A'm Ophelia!" She skipped around the clearing, tearing wads from the feather duster to thrust at Kitty. " 'There's fennel f'r ye, an' columbines." More wads were tossed to Scott. "There's rue f'r ye. An' here's some f'r me. We may call it herb o' grace o' Sundays. Ye must wear yer rue with a difference." The scrunchie was flung to Kurt. "There's a daisy. A would give ye some violets but they withered all when me father died. F'r bonny sweet Robin is all my joy'," she sang. 

The other kids blinked mutely at her. "Great," said Rogue after a moment, then grinned. "She is supposed to be crazy at this point, right?" 

"Kurt, which part are you playing?" asked Scott. 

Kurt swallowed hard. "Er … 'Alas, poor Yorik, I knew him, Horatio?' " he told Kitty's wad of feathers uncertainly. 

"Yeah." Scott scratched his head. "Um. Well. We'd better be getting back up to the house, it's almost dinnertime." 

"Oh! Ve'll come vith you." 

Rahne trailed behind the other kids as they ran ahead. " 'And yet what tae me is this quintessence o' dust?' " she murmured.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 

  


Rahne dragged her feet as Jean and Kitty hustled her into the mall. Rogue sauntered down the aisle ahead of them. Rahne hadn't had a moment's peace since the other girls had discovered that she intended to go to Homecoming, too. "A dinnae know … maybe this is nae the best idea …" 

"Ooh! Shoes!" Kitty squealed, and dropped Rahne's arm to fling herself at a rack of sandals. Rahne lunged for the door, but Jean seized her wrist. 

"Come on!" coaxed the older girl. "Give it a chance. You'll have fun - I promise." 

Rahne hesitated. It was a frightening prospect - the idea of putting herself in Jean's hands. She'd had trouble learning to trust her redhaired teammate ever since she'd discovered Jean had been invading her mind. But Rahne was a trusting soul by nature, and God believed in second chances … 

"All right," she sighed, and allowed Jean to tow her along. 

"He-ey," exclaimed Rogue, coming to an abrupt halt in front of a glass window. "Let's try this place!" 

The other girls stared. Rogue was pointing excitedly at a black-and-electric-blue dress with one sleeve and faux-fur trimming. It was displayed with cowboy boots. 

"Um," said Kitty. " Why don't we, like, leave you here and pick you up again in, like, an hour?" 

"Sure. Your loss." Rogue disappeared into the store. 

Kitty glanced both ways. "Hey, why don't we try the Gantos down by Hudson's?" 

"Okay." Jean hurried after her, Rahne shuffling behind. 

"Are ye _sure_ about this? …" 

  


Rahne stared, horrified, at the dressed displayed on the rack before her. "But, Kitty! Where are the _sleeves_?" 

"Sleeves?!" Kitty gaped at her. "Rahne, these are, like, formal gowns!" 

"They don't come with sleeves," Jean added gently. "Some don't have straps, either." 

"Oh, Lord …!" 

"Oh, gawd, Rahne," said Kitty disgustedly. "Kurt and that Doctor MacTaggert of yours have, like, seen you naked, so what's the big deal about a strapless dress?" 

Rahne turned bright red. Jean shot Kitty a Look. "Well, if you don't like any of these, Rahne, let's go look on the other side." 

They trotted dutifully around the rack. 

"But … why are they sae short?" 

"Oh, my, _gawd_!" 

  


Rahne sat on her bed, rubbing her aching feet, staring foolishly at the things laid out on the quilt in front of her. A still cannae believe A went through with it! Dress, shoes, wrap - even makeup, God help me! Is there anythin' agains' makeup in the Bible? A dinnae think sae. At leas', A hope nae. Och - wha' does it matter? Makeup an' nice clothes will nae make me pretty like Kitty, or smart like Jean, or … unique like Rogue. 

A knock rapped at her door. "Come in," she called, but Kurt had already 'ported through. 

"Rahne!" he exclaimed. "I bowed and had flowers and did it just like you said and she said yes! Yes! Ach - I cannot believe it!" 

"Och - A'm happy f'r ye, Kurt!" It was impossible not to smile at his enthusiasm, yet Rahne felt a painful knot twist inside her. "All yer tryin's paid off." 

"And I have you to thank for it! Thank you, thank you, thank you, Rahne!" He pumped her hand enthusiastically and BAMFed away with a final whoop. 

"Stinker," she muttered, waving away the smoke, but it was not the sulfur making her eyes water.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 

  


Homecoming Day - 7:00 AM 

  


"Vhat do you _mean_, it's broken?!" 

"Kurt, please try to calm down-" 

"I vill _not_ calm down! Mein Gott, my luck is unglaublich…" 

"Well, this sucks some serious-" 

"Kitty!" 

"Sorry, Ororo. Ma'am." 

"Now could we all please settle down and I will-" 

"I cannot _believe_ I forgot to-" 

"He said _calm down_, Elf!" 

"That will be quite enough from you, too, Logan." 

"Hmph." 

"Now, if I-" 

"Wha's goin' on?" asked Rahne, peering over the stairway railing. Professor Xavier, Logan, Ororo, Kurt, and Kitty were standing in the foyer, all five looking very flustered. "Kurt, where's yer hologram? School starts in twenty minutes." 

"Thank you for noticing," Kurt muttered darkly. 

Professor Xavier silenced him with a raised hand. "That is precisely the problem, Rahne. Kurt left his image inducer on his dresser last night, next to his open window. When it rained last night-" 

"-short circuit?" Rahne finished. "Oh-h, Kurt, A'm sorry this happened." 

"Do not be sorry. It vas my fault, not yours. I should have closed the stupid vindow." 

"This is, like, a total pisser!" surmised Kitty unhappily. "I'll be dateless at Homecoming!" 

"Watch your mouth," said Ororo, frowning. 

"At least you going at all! I vill be the only vun of us stuck here at home!" 

"Gawd, Kurt, I'm sor_ry_!" 

" 'Tis all right, Kurt - A'll stay home with ye. How's tha'?" 

"You do not need to do that, Rahne." 

"Nae, 'tis fine with me. Tha' way ye will nae have tae miss it all alone." 

"Do as you vish, Rahne, I do not vant to stop you from having fun." 

"It's my pleasure," Rahne beamed. God worked in mysterious ways, after all. Maybe this was the way things were meant to be for her and Kurt. Or maybe it had been Kurt's idea … ! "Really." 

Xavier's and Ororo's eyes met over the teenagers' heads, and Ororo coolly raised an eyebrow. 

Xavier shrugged mentally. _*It is her choice. Let her learn the way she wants.*_


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 

  


8:04 PM 

  


Rahne leaned against her desk, glaring at her clock. "Eight-oh-four," she read. It had been an hour and a half since the others had left for the dance and Kurt had locked himself in his room. _Wha' now? Sae much f'r God's mysterious ways ..._

Mockingly she stared at her reflection in the mirror. Somehow, the Homecoming magic had made her - Rahne! - look pretty in her dark green dress, red hair curled and emerald eyes huge in her lightly painted face - just exactly like a fairy-tale princess. 

Except the hero of the story had failed to show up and confess his love to her. _Tha' is wha' ye wanted, is it nae, Rahney? Ye an' yer foolish vanity an' pride. Ye deserve tae be disappointed._

Tears welled up hot in her eyes. Angrily she pulled the dress over her head and threw it in the corner, then began viciously yanking bobby pins from her hair. "A fittin' punishment f'r a foolish sin …"


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 

  


9:18 PM 

  


"Git up, I said." 

A sharp finger prodded Rahne in the ribs, rudely shaking her out of sleep. A growl rose in her throat as she blinked her tired eyes open. "Leave me alone, Rev'rend, A'm gettin' up! Stop kickin' me, A said!" 

She looked up into Logan's grim face. "Och - Logan - A-" She vaguely remembered changing into sweatpants and going to bed - could it have been that long ago? Was it morning already? "-A did nae think it was-" 

He threw her uniform at her. "Git up already. This ain't a Danger Room game. Yer in the big leagues now. Git yerself ready." 

He stalked away; the door banged shut behind him. Rahne stared at her uniform, then her clock; then, shaking her head, she began hurriedly to change. 

  


9:23 PM 

  


Tugging on her left glove, Rahne hurried into Xavier's office. Logan, Ororo, and a yawning Kurt were already waiting there. "Rahne," said Xavier as soon as she walked in. "There's been a … problem." 

"Did somethin' happen at the dance, sir?" 

"No, Rahne. Cerebro has detected a new mutant emerging from the latent genetic stage of development." 

"Sir?" 

"Just got 'is powers," cut in Logan irritably. "Or maybe her powers." 

"Thank you, Logan. The gravity of the situation lies primarily in the fact that a third group has entered the competition to reach this new mutant first - a group with motives far less pure even than those of the Brotherhood. We must leave at once. Since Kurt, without his hologram, may frighten the young man or woman, he will stay behind to tell the others where we have gone - it would take far too long to retrieve all of them. Kurt - I regret that I cannot take you with me, but-" 

Kurt nodded bitterly. "Ja, I understand. As does Rahne." He looked resignedly at her. "She belongs on the velcome vagon, not I." 

"But A hardly-" 

"Kurt, I am leaving you in charge while I am gone. Take care." The professor wheeled out the door; Logan, Ororo, and then Rahne hurried after, Kurt calling out 'good luck!' behind them. 

Rahne felt her stomach lurch as she buckled herself into her seat aboard the Blackbird. _My firs' real mission - an' A'm the only one o' the kids the Professor's bringin'!_ Yes, she would need to be at her best tonight. She felt adrenaline and confidence surge in her. _A_ will _dae this right._

Maybe God really did work in mysterious ways … 

  


The Beginning … 

  


Author's Notes: You'll meet the mysterious new mutant in the first chapter of Part 2. I'll tell you, it is a canon character - and I'm accepting guesses from you guys as to who it might be. If you guess right? Er ... you'll win the undying respect and love of your fellow readers. Isn't that _good_ enough for you? Now tell me - are you feeling lucky … punk?


End file.
